great coward when it conies to fight- 

 ing one of his size. More than likely 

 he will sneak away, or fly off scream- 

 ing loudly at the first signs of attack." 



"If you will stop your chatter," 

 sharply retorted Mrs. Wren, "we 

 may hear what they are saying. 

 Listen, can't you?" 



" You old thief and pickpocket," 

 shrieked Mr. Kingbird, his head 

 feathers standing up like an Indian 

 chief's, "whose nest around here are 

 you lying in wait to rob?" 



"What business is it of yours?" 

 retorted Mr. Jay with a sneer. "You 

 old tyrant! A nice fellow, indeed, to 

 be calling people names. The pot 

 calling the kettle black. Humph !" 



Mr. Kingbird, aware of the many 

 young birds he had eaten in his time 

 concluded he had best confine himself 

 exclusively to the question of eggs. 



"It's only a sneak," he replied, 

 " that will creep up when the mother 

 bird is off her nest and suck the eggs. 

 Nobody but a coward would do it. 

 The Mourning Dove's cries the other 

 day were truly heartrending. I made 

 up my mind then that the very first 

 time you crossed my path I would 

 thrash you." 



"That's right, give it to him, give 

 it to him !" cried the birds in chorus, 

 a large number of which, attracted by 

 the quarrel, had formed themselves 

 into a ring about the tree tops. "He's 

 not only a thief but a bully, 

 always ready to whip a bird under 

 his size." 



Mr. Blue Jay winced for a second, 

 for it is not pleasant to find one's self 

 hated by all his fellow kind. 



"I'll swear," said he, lifting up one 

 foot solemnly, "that I have not been 

 near the Mourning Dove's nest this 

 season." 



"Nor the Red-eyed Vireo's?" 



"Nor the Red-eyed Vireo's," affirmed 

 Mr. Blu€ Jay, slightly closing one eye, 

 and coughing behind his foot. 



"Oh, oh, oh!" chorused a dozen 

 voices, "we saw him around there this 

 very morning." 



"And I," said a Bluebird, "saw him 

 destroy the eggs in Mrs. Mourning 

 Dove's nest, myself." 



"So," sternly said Mr. Kingbird, 

 " the rascal adds perjury to his other 

 crimes. It is the duty of every honest 

 citizen of the woods and orchards to 

 rid the world of such a villain. Defend 

 yourself, Mr. Jay, or " 



At this moment a loud and vehement 

 Zeay^ zc-a-y^^'' broke in upon Mr. 

 Kingbird's speech. 



"Ah! Mr. Catbird," said he, his 

 crest suddenly falling, "I think, I — 

 will attend to this case another time," 

 and much to the disappointment of 

 the assembled crowd Mr. Kingbird 

 took wing and flew away. 



No sooner was he gone than Mr. 

 Blue Jay nearly doubled himself up 

 with laughter. 



" I thought that would make his 

 feathers fall," he said, resuming his 

 braggart manner. "I have noticed how 

 quickly he gets out of the way of Mr. 

 Catbird, though he will fight a Hawk, 

 or a Crow, or even an Eagle. He ! he ! 

 he ! I imitated Mr. Catbird very well, 

 didn't I?" and the rogue, to show his 

 powers of mimicry, cried Zeay, se-a-y^ 

 again, then Caw, caw, like a Crow, 



ii8 



